Side cutting mining head for continuous mining machine



Sept. 27, 1960 E. R. BERGMANN SIDE CUTTING MINING HEAD FOR CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 I 7 7 mm 7 9 I, 7 7 6 Q a 999 6 5# 2 I $99 m 4 M. 5 (799 w .h w 3 999 W (799 Nw7/5/. m 999 0 7 w fl/ 0 0 3 w P99 0 r ,0 5 9:9 R7 7 /2 V, 2 l fllwu. 9 w I I In. a it l 7 1/ 7 7 7 6 a u w \/Q w NY w 8 4 2 w W 9 2 I INVENTOR. Ems: R. Bergmann ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1960 E. R. BERGMANN SIDE CUTTING MINING HEAD FOR CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Ernst R. Bergmann ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1960 E. R. EERGMANN SIDE CUTTING MINING HEAD FOR CONTINUOUS MINING MACHINE Filed Jan. 50, 1959 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Ernst R. Bergmann AT TORNEV A 7 9 h Fig .Patented Sci 1960 stun CUTTING MINING HEAD FOR c'oNrINUoUs MINING MACHJNE Filed Jan. so, 1959, Set. No. 590,253 11 Claims. c1. 262-19 This invention relates to improvements in continuous mining machines for coal and the like, and more particularly relates to an improved mining head for a continuous miner of the side cutting low vein type.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved side cutting mining head of the auger type, in which the cutting diameter of. the auger may readily be varied.-

A further object of the invention is to provide a side cuttingauger, cutting by endwise movement into a working face and by sidewise movement along the working face together with an improved form of support and adjusting means for the vanes of the auger for adjusting the cutting diameter of the auger at the selection of the operator of the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mining head in the'form of a side cutting auger having a plurality of segmental helical vane extending along the drive shaft for the auger and providing a substantiallycontinuous vane for substantially the length of the drive shaft, together with a crank and link supporting connection for the vanes, to effect radially adjustable movement of the vanes'of the auger upon relative movement of the crank with respect to the drive shaft, and to hold the vanes in adjusted relation upon rotation of the crank with the drive shaft.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the forward end portion of a continuous mining machine of the low vein type, in which cutting is effectedby side cutting mining heads constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and showing the side cutting mining heads in laterally extended positions with respect to the machine; 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken through one of the side cutting mining heads shown in Figure l, in order to show the drive thereto, and showing a fragment of the mining head in plan View;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view takensubstantially along line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken through the side cutting auger shown in Figure 2, showing the auger in an extreme radially extended position; and

Figure 6 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 5, but showing the anger in an extremeretracted position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown in Figure l, a mining machine 19 of the side cutting continuous'mining. type, adapted to cut and load an entire seam of coal and the like, by advancing two mining heads 11 into the working face when in the laterally extended position shown in Figure 1, and by feeding said mining heads across" the Working face toward the center thereof,'.as shown and described in my companion application Serial No. 790,666, filed February 2, 1959.

The mining machine, therefore, need not herein be shown or described in detail, except to point out that it includes a main frame 12 having a shelf-like support structure 13 projecting forwardly of the forward end thereof above pick up mechanism 15, and a center strand endless chain and flight type of laterally flexible conveyor id, for conveying the mined material beyond the rear of the machine, for discharge into a shuttle car, conveyor or the like.

The support structure 13 forms a pivotal support for two laterally spaced transverse feeder frames 17 for pivotal movement about laterally spaced vertical axes, at opposite sides of the forward end portion of the shelflike support structure 13. The transverse feeder frames 17 are pivotally mounted on bearing bosses 19, at opposite sides of the forward end portion of the shelf-like support structure 13, and form supports for the side cutting mining heads 11 and for reciprocating loading pans 2t), slidably supported on said feeder frames and extending along the trailing sides of the side cutting mining heads 11, for picking up and advancing the mined material to the pick-up conveyor 15, herein shown as being in the form of a reciprocating loading trough section. The feeder frames 17 mounted on the bosses 19, position the mining heads 11 for lateral feeding movement about axes offset laterally from the longitudinal axes of the mining heads and position the mining heads to be fed across a working face to cut kerfsin the floor of sufiicient width to lap one another, to thereby out clearance for the mining heads, as shown and described in application Serial No. 753,763, filed August 7,, 1958, by Edward L. Anderson, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and no part of the present invention so not herein shown or described further.

Each feeder frame 17 is of a generally box-like construction in cross-section and has a generally longitudinally extending support arm 21, spaced laterally of the bearing boss 19 and extending longitudinally forwardly thereof, when the mining heads have been advanced to their longitudinally extended positions with respect to the machine. The support arm 21 has spaced bearing bosses 23 extending inwardly therefrom, forming a bearing support for a longitudinally extending shaft 24, forming a support for an associated mining head 11. The shaft 24 has laterally projecting arms 25 of a housing and support 26, for a mining head 11, secured thereto for supporting said mining headon the arm 21, eccentrio of the center of the axis of rotation of the mining head 11. Rocking movement of the shaft 24 will thus vertically adjust said mining head about the axis of said shaft to conform the mining head to the floor or roof of a Working place.

Pivotal movement of the shaft 24 and vertical adjustment of the mining head is effected by a hydraulic jack 27, trunnioned on the arm 21 beneath the top thereof, and having pivotal connection with a crank arm 29 on the shaft 24, and extending inwardly therefrom, as in my aforementioned companion application, so not herein shown or described further.

Each feeder frame 17 also has an inwardly extending arm 39 extending inwardly of the pivot of said feeder frame and having a piston rod 31 pivotally connected to the free end thereof.

The piston rod 31 is extensible from a hydraulic cylinder '33, pivotally mounted at its head end on a bracket 34 at the rear end portion of the shelf-like support structure 13. The cylinder 33 and piston rod 31 thus form a hydraulic jack unit for swinging the feeder frame 17 laterally and for retaining said feeder frame in the laterally extended position shown in Figure 1, to accommodate sumping of the side cutter mining heads 11 into the working face, prior to swinging said side cutter mining heads inwardly toward the longitudinal center of the machine.

The housing and support 26 forms a support for a motor 35, shown as projecting rearwardly therefrom and rotatably driving a hollow drive shaft 36, forming a support and drive shaft for the side cutting auger, as will now be described.

The motor 35 may be of any well known form, but is herein shown as being a hydraulic motor having a motor pinion 37 meshing withand driving an internal gear 39.

The internal gear 39 is shown as being journalled within the housing and support 26 on spaced bearings 40, herein shown as being ball bearings and supporting shaft portions 41 and 42shown as being formed integrally with said internal gear. The bearing 40, supporting the shaft portion 42, is journalled within a cage 41a of a planetary reduction train 43. The shaft portion 42 has gear teeth 44- cut integrally therewith and meshing with planetary pinions 45 journalled in the cage 41a. The planetary pinions 45 are in turn shown as meshing with an internal gear 46, shown as being formed integrally with an interior wall 47 of the housing and support 26. The cage 41 has a shaft portion 49 extending inwardly therefrom splined within a shaft 50 journalled within the gear housing and support 26 on spaced ball bearings 51 and 53.

i The shaft 50 has a hollow enlarged diameter forward end portion forming a housing 54 for a rotary vane type of torque actuator 55 The torque actuator 55 may be of any .well known form and is no part of the present invention so need only herein be shown and described in sufficient detail to render my invention readily understandable.

The periphery of the housing 54 is surrounded by an open ended casing 56 secured to a flanged portion 57 of the housing and support 26 and extending forwardly therefrom and forming a part thereof. The open forward end of the housing 54'is enclosed by a flanged rear end portion 59 of the hollow shaft 36 and forms a support and drive member therefor.

As herein shown, the torque actuator 55 has a rotary piston sl1aft 60 having a sliding vane 61 extending radially therefrom and having .slidable engagement with the interior wall of the housing 54-. The piston shaft 69 is shown as being journalled within the forward end portion of the shaft 50 on a bearing 63, and as having a forwardly projecting splined end portion 64 extending within the rear end portion of an adjustment shaft 65, and having splined engagement therewith for rotatably driving said shaft. The splined adjustment shaft 65 is journalled at its rear end within the hollow shaft 36 on a bearing 66 and extends along said hollow shaft to the forward end thereof and is suitably journalled at its forward end portion on a similar bearing (not shown).

A divider 67 secured to and extending radially in wardly from the inner wall of the housing 54 has slidable engagement with the piston shaft 60 and inlet passageways 69 and 70 leading to opposite sides of the vane 61 so that fluid under pressure entering the chamber within the housing 54 through one passage or another will move the sliding vane 61 and shaft 65 in one direction or another, as selected.

Fluid under pressure is admitted to the divider and passageways 69 and7i} through pressure lines '71 and 72 under the control of suitable valve means, which may be of any well known form, so not herein shown or described. The pressure lines 71 and 72 have communication with the passageways 69 and 70 in the divider 67 through sealing means 73 in thespace between the housing 54 and the inner wall of the casing 56, and through passageways 74 and 75 leading through the wall of the housing 54. The sealing means 53 may be of any well known form, afiording communication from the pressure lines 71 and 72 to t e as a eways 74 and 5. as the sha 36 a ru s n J54 a 'r a ab mwqd Wi h n t ca ng 4 The sealing means, therefore, need not be shown or described in detail.

Referring now in particular to the auger 11, mounted on the drive shaft 36 and adjustably expanded or contracted by relative movement of the shaft 65 with respect to the shaft 36, a plurality of pairs of segmental helical vanes 76 and 77 are mounted along the shaft 36 and form in effect a continuous spiral extending therealong.

The vanes .76 lead the-vanes '77 and .have a plurality of cutter bits 79 detachably mounted thereon for cutting the coal 'or other materialbeingrmined, as the auger is sumped endwise into the working face and is moved laterally thereacross toward the center of the working face.

As herein shown, the .vanes 76 and 77 of each pair or set of vanes are connected together by a base member 80 forming a unitary set of segmental cutting vanes 76 and rearwardly spaced generally parallel conveying vanes 77, to cut and progress the material mined from the solid coal face rearwardly along the auger to be picked by a reciprocating loading pan 20, to be progressed thereby to the pick-up deviceor loading pan 15, for loading onto the conveyor 16. The 'base 80 is shown in Figure 2 as having a horizontally off set portion 81, oif-set from the vane 76 toward the advance end of the auger and having a recess 83 therein within which .an arcuate link 85 may move. Said recess conforms to the general form of the arcuate support link 85. The arcuate support link 85 is pivotally connected to the vane 76, within the recess 83 intermediate the ends of the recess by a pivot pin 86. The opposite end of the arcuate link 85 is pivotally connected between two spaced support arms 87 on a pivot pin 88. The support arms 87 extend generally radially of the shaft 36 and the center ofthe pin 88 is so located that the arcuate inner margin of the link 85 will conform to and extend about the periphery of the shaft 36 in close proximity thereto when the auger .is in its extreme retracted position shown in Figure 6.

The base 80 also has a depending portion 89 generally bifurcated in form (Figure 2) within which extends a crank arm 90. The crank arm 90 is pivotally connected to the depending portion 89 by a pivot pin 91 extending parallel to the axis of the shaft 36. The crank arm 90 is shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, as being keyed to the adjustment shaft 65 and extending radially of said adjustment shaft through an elongated segmental slot 93 in the hollow drive shaft 36. It is, of course, under stood that a separate crank arm is of helical vanes 76 and 77.

It may be seen from Figures 2 and 6, that as the shaft 65 and crank arms 90 rotate in a clockwise direction that the helical vanes 76 and .77 will move outwardly about the point of connection of the links 85 to the support arms 87. This will expand the vanes 76 and 77 in a generally radial direction with respect to the shaft 36 to increase the cutting diameter of the auger to a selected cutting diameter.

It should here be noted that in order to attain substantially radial adjustment of the vanes 76 and 77, that the angles between a radial line intersecting the center of the pin 86 and lines extending from the center of the pin-86 to the centers of the pins 88 and 91 should be substantially equal in all positions of the vanes from their innermost to their outermost positions of adjustment.

It should also be understood that during the mining operation, the passageways or ports 69 and 70 are blocked by the control valve (not shown) for the torque actuator 55 to hold pressure on opposite sides of the vane 61, to rotate the adjustment shaft 65 with the hollow drive shaft 36 at the speed of travel ,of the hollow drive shaft, and that the cutting diameter of the auger provided .for each set may be increased or decreased during operation of the auger merely by relieving pressure from one side of the vane 61 and applying pressure to the opposite side thereof. Thus, under hard cutting conditions where the auger may tend to become bound, the cutting diameter thereof may readily be decreased during Operation of the auger to free the auger. As the auger is freed, the cutting diameter thereof. may again be increased to the proper cutting diameter, to continue the mining operation with the auger at its required diameter.

It should further be understood that with a continuous mining machine of the class described, where the seam of coal is thicker than the maximum cutting diameter of the auger that the seam may be mined in benches, the first mining operation being adjacent the mine roof and the second mining operation removing the bench to the mine floor, and that with the adjustable auger of the invention, the auger may readily be adjusted to mine a working face in two continuous mining and loading operations.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it should be understood that various modifications and variations in the invention maybe effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. A side cutting mining head comprising an auger having at least one helical vane having bits projecting radially therefrom, two concentric shafts concentric with the center of said auger, link means mounting said vane on one of said shafts and crank means mounting said vane on the other of said shafts, whereby relative movement between said shafts with respect to each other will effect generally radial adjustment of said vane with respect to said shafts, to vary the cutting diameter of the auger.

2. A side cutting mining head in accordance with claim 1, wherein selectively operable power means are provided to rotate said shafts relative to each other, to effect radial adjustment of said vane with respect to said shafts, and to hold said shafts in fixed relation with respect to each other to effect a mining operation.

3. A side cutting mining head in accordance with claim 1 wherein the link means is pivoted to the outer of said shafts in an outwardly spaced relation with respect to the periphery thereof and has pivotal connection with said vane intermediate the ends thereof, wherein the outer of said shafts has at least one circumferential slot therein and wherein the crank means is secured to the inner of said shafts and extends through said slot and has pivotal connection with said vane in spaced relation with respect to the point of connection of said link means to said vane.

4. A side cutting mining head comprising an auger having at least one helical vane having bits projecting radially therefrom, two concentric shafts concentric with the center of said anger, the outermost of said shafts forming a drive shaft for said auger, means journalling the inner of said shafts within the outermost of said shafts for relative rotation with respect to the outermost of said shafts, link means pivotally connected to the outermost of said shafts in radially spaced relation with respect to the periphery thereof, the outermost of said shafts having a slot extending circumferentially therealong and opening to the innermost of said shafts, crank means secured to the innermost of said shafts and slidably extending through said slot, means pivotally connecting said link means to said vane intermediate the ends thereof, means pivotally connecting said crank means to said vane adjacent the advance end thereof, power means for rotating the innermost of said shafts with respect to the outermost of said shafts to effect generally radial adjustment of said vane with respect to said shafts and for holding the innermost of said shafts for rotation with the outermost of said shafts to retain said vane in a selected position of adjustment to effect a cutting operation upon rotation of the outermost of said shafts.

5. In a side'cu'tting mining head, an auger having a drive shaft, a plurality of segmental helical vanes extend-i ing along said drive shaft and having cutters bits projecting radially therefrom, link means for mounting said vanes on said shaft for relative movement with respect thereto in a radial direction, and crank means having connection with said vanes in spaced relation with respect to said link means for adjustably moving said vanes with respect to said shaft to vary the cutting diameter of the auger and for retaining said vanes from adjustable movement with respect tosaid shaft in a selected position of adjustment for cutting.

6. In a side cutting mining head, an auger comprising a hollow drive shaft, an adjustment shaft journalled within said drive shaft for relative movement with respect thereto, a plurality of segmental helical vanes extending along said drive shaft and forming in effect a continuous helixfrom one end of said drive shaft to the other, and crank and link means mounting said vanes on said drive shaft and said adjustment shaft and effecting radial adjustment of said vanes upon relative movement of said shafts with respect to each other.

-7. In a side cutting mining head having a drive shaft, power means for rotatably driving said shaft, a plurality of segmental helical vanes extending along said drive shaft and having cutter bits projecting radially therefrom, an adjustment shaft coaxial with said drive shaft and mounted therein for relative rotation with respect thereto and for rotation therewith, link means pivotally connected to said drive shaft in radially spaced relation with respect to the periphery thereof and having pivotal connection with said vanes intermediate the ends thereof, said drive shaft having a plurality of segmental slots therein opening to said adjustment shaft, and crank means mounted on said adjustment shaft and slidably extending through said slots and having pivotal connection with said vanes adjacent the advance ends thereof, whereby relative rotation of adjustment shaft with respect to said drive shaft will effect generally radial adjustment of said vanes with respect to the axis of said shafts.

8. A side cutting mining head in accordance with claim 7, in which power means are provided to rotate said adjustment shaft with respect to said drive shaft, to effect radial adjustment of said vanes and to hold said adjustment shaft for rotation with said drive shaft to retain said vanes in adjusted relation for mining.

9. A side cutting mining head in accordance with claim 8, wherein the power means for relatively moving the shafts with respect to each other comprises a hydraulically operated rotary motor coaxial with the axes of said shafts.

10. In a mining head, a hollow drive shaft, a plurality of pairs of segmental helical vanes extending along said drive shaft, cutter bits projecting radially from the advance of said helical vanes, said helical vanes forming advance side cutting vanes and rearwardly spaced conveying vanes, means mounting said vanes on said drive shaft for generally radial adjustment with respect thereto comprising individual links for each set of vanes pivotally connected to said drive shaft in radially spaced relation with respect to the periphery thereof and having pivotal connection with an associated vane intermediate the ends thereof, an adjustment shaft concentric with the center of said hollow drive shaft and extending therealong, cranks on said adjustment shaft slidably extending through said drive shaft, each crank having pivotal connection with a set of vanes adjacent the advance end thereof, and power means for moving said adjustment shaft relative to said drive shaft to effect radial adjustment of said vanes with respect to said shafts and for holding said adjustment shaft for rotation with said drive shaft to retain said vanes in a selected position of adjustment for mining.

11. A side cutting mining head comprising an auger having a hollow drive shaft having at least one helical vane extending therealong having cutter bits projecting move said adjustment shaft relative to said hollow drive 10" 8 l shaft to radially move said vane with respect to said hollow drive shaft to varythe cutting diamet rof the auger; arid to hold said shafts for rotation together to maintain a fixed-cutting diameter of the auger: 

